Lee Henry, Kirby-Jones make All-OVC second team, Burgess named to all-freshman team for 2009 efforts

May 19, 2009

PADUCAH, Ky. – On the Eve of the 2009 Ohio Valley
Conference baseball tournament, three Tennessee Tech baseball
players were named to the All-OVC teams. Junior Lee Henry and
sophomore A.J. Kirby-Jones earned second-team all-conference
honors, while freshman Ben Burgess was named to the all-freshman
team.

Henry, a pitcher from Knoxville, Tenn., earned the nod as a
starting pitcher, after throwing five complete games in five starts
this season, with a 2.88 ERA, the second lowest in the conference.
His season was highlighted by a complete-game shutout against UT
Martin on April 24th. He also pitched 6.1 innings in relief against
Morehead State on April 4, and struck out nine batters while
walking just three. His .238 opponents batting average was the
fourth lowest in the OVC, and his 7-2 record tied him for the fifth
most wins of any pitcher in the conference.

After being named to the all-freshman team, and earning
all-tournament honors a season ago, Kirby-Jones can now add
all-conference honors to his resume. The sophomore tied for the
league lead in home runs during the regular season with 17, and set
a Tech record with three grand slams on the season. His home run
mark currently ranks second in Tech history in single-season
homers. He also ranks third in single-season RBIs with 61, and his
.712 slugging percentage is the seventh best for a season in Tech
history.

But Kirby-Jones also does work from the mound. In 16 appearances he
has pitched 45.1 innings with a 4.96 ERA and 49 strikeouts en route
to a 3-3 record with two saves. On May 8 against Jacksonville State
he pitched 4.0 innings and struck out nine batters while allowing
just one earned run in the save. He also hit two home runs and
tallied four RBIs in that contest.

Burgess, a freshman from Brentwood, Tenn., has played in and
started 47 of Tech’s 49 games, including stating as Tech
pitcher, catcher and right fielder. His .332 batting average is
third on the team, and his 38 RBIs rank second. Burgess has hit in
the four-hole for the Golden Eagles all season long, and hit two
home runs and nine doubles in the regular season, slugging
.413.

Player of the Year: Jordan Kreke, Eastern Illinois
Pitcher of the Year: Daniel Calhoun, Murray State
Freshman of the Year: Kyle Bluestein, Jacksonville State
Coach of the Year: Rob McDonald, Murray State